more recently, john anderson and ross perot. what are these third-party candidates facing and the inability for the two parties to work of a compromise or agreement on the big issues? guest: i think perhaps after this election, it looks like obama is ahead. if obama wins, there might be more incentive for compromise in congress. let me add another thought -- if obama, in fact, continues where he is now and wins the election, i think there is a very good chance that the republican party could split in half. you might have a far right party, a tea party, let's say, and a more moderate centrist republican party that might appeal to certain centrist democrats. i think it is possible if the election ends up where it is now that there would be a third party in our future. it would be similar to the election of 1860 where the democratic party split over the issue of slavery with the northern democratic party and a southern democratic party and that is the first time the republicans won national office with lincoln. a similar think it h